


You are red, violent red

by manesalex



Series: Makedamnsure [2]
Category: Roswell New Mexico (TV 2019)
Genre: Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Angst, Angst with a Hopeful Ending, Kyle Valenti is a Good Friend, M/M, these characters need therapy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-01
Updated: 2020-03-01
Packaged: 2021-02-28 08:00:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,197
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22966582
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/manesalex/pseuds/manesalex
Summary: Kyle encourages Michael to work on taking better care of himself.
Relationships: Michael Guerin/Alex Manes
Series: Makedamnsure [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1650517
Comments: 7
Kudos: 44





	You are red, violent red

Kyle carefully steps down the ladder, noting that the bunker is cold and smells like overly recycled air. The lights are surprisingly warm, making the place look far kinder than the cold Project Shepard bunker Kyle knows.

Michael isn’t paying attention, bent over one of the tables, scribbling something. His curls are messy and greasy and he smells far too much like sweat, booze, and acetone. Kyle asks himself yet again why Alex is attracted to Michael Guerin, of all men.

“Just drop the food over there,” Michael says absently. “I’ve got something to show you.”

“You were expecting Liz?” Kyle asks.

Michael jumps and then glares at him. He looks like he’s imagining killing Kyle with his brain and, if Kyle didn’t know he couldn’t do that directly, he’d be worried. And then he starts to wonder if Michael _could_ do that directly.

“We need to talk,” Kyle starts, turning his attention to the reason he’s there. He starts to make his way across the room towards Michael.

“No, you need to fuck off. Go find someone else to bother,” Michael replies, tone cold. He reaches for the bottle of acetone on the table and opens it, taking a swig.

“It’s about Alex,” Kyle offers, waiting for the reaction he knows will come, though a part of him wishes it wouldn’t. He wants better for his best friend than an alcoholic, acetone dependent alien with anger management problems. After everything, he’s certain Alex deserves someone kind and gentle. But he also knows Alex is in love with Michael Guerin, for some reason, so here he is. Trying to convince Michael to start working on himself so he can maybe be good for Alex.

Michael’s reaction is right on cue. His eyes narrow and he moves forward, looking every bit like he’s trying to threaten or intimidate Kyle, who fights an eye roll in response. “If you think I’m just going to stand by while you-”

“He’s a handsome man,” Kyle needles Michael, taking in the way he tenses. “He’s smart and kind. Forest didn’t last, but, eventually, someone will. Someone who will see how amazing Alex is and who’ll treat him right.”

“You’re one to talk about treating Alex right,” Michael’s tone is low and threatening. “How many times did you and your asshole friends attack him in high school?”

“I was a jackass. And a bully,” Kyle acknowledges evenly. “And I should have been a better friend to Alex back then. I’m trying to be a better friend to him now. He needs one.” The ‘whether or not he will admit it’ goes unsaid. He pauses, “He deserved better from me then. And he deserves better from you now than being stuck watching you drowning yourself in booze and acetone and hauling your drunk ass out of Saturns Rings every night of the week.”

“Well maybe he should just leave me be then!” Michael finally snaps, getting right in Kyle’s face. “He can run away any time! I don’t need him!”

Kyle frowns, holding his ground, not moving an inch one way or the other. He’s dealt with angry family members of his patients plenty of times at work and knows how often they’re just scared. He wonders whether Michael is more afraid that Alex will leave or that Alex will stay.

“Do you know why Alex left in the first place?” Kyle asks, tone even and careful.

And suddenly it’s like the wind has left Guerin’s sails. He slumps over and moves back toward the table, looking like a kicked puppy. “He wanted to. He wanted to join up and go throw his life away.” He watches as Michael opens the bottle of acetone again and drinks probably about half of what is left.

Kyle shakes his head. “Before you, Alex did want to leave. He wanted to get out of this town, get away from his father, and make music. His father wanted him to join the Air Force. When we were kids, he was always trying to turn all his kids into smaller versions of himself. But Alex… He didn’t want that. That was the last thing that he ever wanted for himself. And then you two…” He takes a breath, “I don’t know the specifics of what happened between you, but I know that, whether or not he says it, you’re the reason Alex signed up. Whatever happened between you two, it was what changed his plans from getting as far away as possible from a father who _hates_ him to giving that monster exactly what he wanted.” He takes a deep breath, “You’re supposed to be a genius, Guerin. Why do you think that changed?”

He watches as Michael works through what he’s said in his head. And then, after a moment, he nods and looks up at Kyle. “You think he’d stay?”

Kyle shrugs, “You’d have to ask him to know for sure but… I’ve known Alex a long time. There’s not much he wouldn’t do for the people he loves. And, for some reason, he loves you.”

Michael nods again. “He’s…” He shakes his head, swipes at his eyes. And that, more than anything, surprises Kyle. That Michael’s feelings are so close to the surface with Alex. He can’t even hide them from him. And Kyle knows how much Michael hates him. “He’s the best thing that ever happened to me. But, every time he leaves…”

Kyle doesn’t know what to say. He doesn’t know how to deal with a vulnerable Michael Guerin, though he imagines maybe this is the version of Guerin that Alex sees. Maybe this is the man Alex took on his father to protect. He pauses, takes a deep breath, and offers, “He’s staying now.”

Michael is silent for a while before he shakes his head, sniffs and looks up at Kyle. “I still hate you.” But there’s no real strength to that assertion.

“Yeah, I don’t like you much either,” Kyle replies, tone calm.

“Then why are you being so nice to me?” Michael asks. He sounds suspicious. Like he’s waiting for the rug to be pulled out from under him.

“I don’t like you. But Alex is my best friend. I want him to be happy. He deserves that much.” Kyle pauses, “And, for some reason, Alex wants you. So get your shit together, Guerin. Take a damn shower, do the work to get clean and sober, and maybe see a fucking therapist.” He pauses, considering for a moment before adding, “Do all that, and I’ll do what I can to help you. For Alex’s sake. Do we have a deal?”

He watches as Michael considers. And then watches the bottle of acetone sail through the air and drop into the garbage can on its own.

He can’t help but smile at Michael in that moment. He knows it won’t be easy for Michael. And it definitely won’t be easy for him either. But maybe, just maybe, Michael is willing to work to become the kind of person Alex deserves. And maybe that’s not healthy, but he hopes that, for Michael’s sake, he’ll eventually want to do that work for himself too.


End file.
